The effect of an eight-week Pilates exercise regimen on stress management and cortisol levels in sedentary women

The aim of the present study is to examine the effect of eight weeks of Pilates exercise on stress management and cortisol levels in sedentary women.

Twenty-two sedentary women aged between 25 and 40 years old participated in this study. The subjects were randomly divided into the Pilates group (n=11) or the control group (n=11). The subjects in the Pilates group performed 60 minutes of Pilates exercise 3 times a week for 8 weeks. Body composition parameters, resting heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), cortisol levels and perceived stress were measured before and after the intervention.

The results showed that body fat percentage, cortisol levels, and perceived stress score were reduced after Pilates exercise (p <0.05); however for resting HR, systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) no significant changes were observed.

In summary, the results suggest that the Pilates exercise utilized in this study is a useful strategy for stress management in sedentary women.